Endless freezing container



2 sneets-shet 1 Nov. 12, 1935.

R. H. CHILTON ENDLESS FREEZING CONTAINER Filed June4 12, 1933 Nov. 12, 1935. R. H. cHlLToN ENDLESS FREEZING CONTAINER R O T N E V m www d 7% La ATTORNEYS Halalz HiT/11H01? BY www A thereon. d f

l' g5 I anti-freezing liquid such as mercury which covers preferably located in the upper poion of an elec- 25 presieduta-12, 193s s n 2,021,047

y [UNITED STATES PATENT orner-if Ralph n. chilien, nuten', omo, mignon te General Motors' Corporation, Detroit, Mich/a cor, poration of Delaware Application June 1:, 19:3, serial Nn. 615,418

iscnims. (cies-rossi' This invention relates to a freezing-container .organization of the invention, showing a longibelt and associated means for freezing liquids vin tudinal section of a ilexible endless container belt .a freezing compartment of a refrigerator. comprising longitudinally separated ice pockets in object of this invention is to provide and mounted upon two rollerswithin a freezing; provements in a flexible freezing container beit f compartment of a refrigerator. The loweredor 5 which may be intermittently driven over rotat freezing position'pfthe top pass of the beltl is able rollers, to simplifythe filling of the container shown in full'lines, and the raised or moving powith the liquid to be frozen, to increase the rapidsition thereof is shown by the dot and dash lines. ityof freezing of the liquid contents, and to fa- Fig. 2 is a view showing the automaticl mech- 1 9 ciiitate the operation of the belt to eject the froanism for reversing the driving roller a partial 10 zen contents. revolution upon cessation of the driving operation This invention comprises various improvements to cause they container beltto sag downwardly over the disclosure in my copending applicationV into the freezing open-top pan. Fig. 2 is taken Serial .Number 5779222, filed November 25, v1931.` on line 2 2 of Fig. 4'. `1 5 A feature of this present invention is the de- 3 15.8 View meno!! line 3 3 of Fig. 5 and 15 -sign of the flexible container belt whicnpermits shows the ratchet mechanism for preventing the its easy bending around the rollers upon which reverseturning ofthe free roller. it is.l mounted due to the longitudinal spacing of FISA is asection taken `on line 4-4 of Fig. 1. i' the ice pockets or transverse rows of ice pockets Fig. 5 is a section taken 0n line 5-5 0f F1821:

A reference characters refer to similar 2o' Another feature of this invention is the greater parts throughout the several views. rapidity of freezing of the contents of the belt i0 designates the refrigerant tank having th obtained b y immersing or at least contacting the refrigerant ductsl I and l2 surrounding the freez- --iower portions of the nued ice pockets within ing compartment of the cooling unit. which is the refrigerated support for the filled ice pockets. 'tric refllgel'ml' in @Well-known mamen In the Another feature of the invention is the avoicl-v frm illustrated. the freezing GOmDltluenf I3; i8 ance of the great tendency of the filled container 'an4 open front metal '.hOuSinB Whose metal W511i to bond to its refrigerated support during freezing N are cooled by the contuting-,refri'geant ducts U ofthe contents thereof due to en outside collecand I2 :surrounding 6r Partilly surroundlui tion' of frost 'thereon or from any other same. The flexible freezing container beit of s and hence the desired intermittent movement or. this inventionds suitably mounted upon two rollthe container belt is greatly facilitated. ers within the freezing compartment I3.

Another feature is the improved driving roller rnt 0l' drivingl roller l! isxedly m0111119- l for moving 'the container belt and ejecting the edupo a Shaft 15 harving'beangs n suitably 8 5 4frozen ice cubes without highly distorting or othsupported uponv the walls of" compartment i3. erwise putting severe strain upon the tlex- Roller c'an be suitably rotated by the small ibie rubber or other material of which the exible hand crank f8, or by any. other desired means. belt is made. f The rearl or free roller .20 is fixed toits shaft 2| 40 Another feature is the automatic'mechanism which is slmilurly I'Qttably mounted UDO!! Deaf-'40 forpartially reversing the driving miler upon cesings 22. The 1'011121'v l5 is Provided Witlitwo W1 1 sation of the driving operation thereof to restore -v end Bauges 23 having the sprocket teeth 24 there-Y the desired normal sag to the upper pass of the 0m` The rear roller is likewise provided with `container belt, whereby the filled pockets are Similar end 13811865 25 but Preferably Without 'f `f1.5 causedto again rest upon lthe refrigerated support SDroqket teeth; 8S clearly Shown i'FiE. 5, 43-

therefor which is covered with the anti-freeze liq- The flexible container belt 30 of this invention uid-for the purpose mentioned above. is suitably mounted upon the two rollersI I5 and Further objects and advantages of the presen 1/0 so that its opposed laterally projecting nanges invention will be apparent from the following de- 3i ride upon the flanges 23 `and 25j of the twofscriptlon, reference being had tothe' accompanyrollers, while the depending. ice pocketsf! there-J0 ying drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of fall within the .open space'between theend vof one form of the present invention is clearly flanges. The belt is driven by'the sprocket teeth shown. 'a 24 which engage the holes. in the flanges 3l ofv In the drawings: the belt. This'container. belt 30 is preferably of Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view of the such length that its upper pass 33 will sag downll wardly between the two rollers," and 2l by. gravfilled as described level to provide a suitable refrigerated support for the sagging portion of the container belt.

'Preferably thispan II' has at its rear end a curved lip 38 which terminates very closely adjacent the roller 2l (see Figsl). Also thefront end of pan JI, terminates closely adjacent roller II in a curved lip 31, .which if desired may be exible so lthat it may actually slide upon the rotating roller I5 without serious friction or wear. These lips It and l1 of pan 35 are thus made to substantially clear the bottoms ofthe ice pockets 32 of the exible belt while it is being moved by roller II, and so permit the end walls of pan l! to be higher and therebyV retain a greater depth of liquid'when this is desired. It obviously also increases the freezing area "of pan since the sagging portion Il of the belt may thereby be given a greater area of contact with lthe pan or with the ,anti-freeze liquid I6 contained in thepan 3l', as the case maybe. `Pan preferably has refrigerant ducts soldered or welded in direct contact therewith and, in the l form shpwn in the drawings, pan I5 rests directly uponand is supported by the refrigerant ducts l2 wiieh maintain the pan and the. ann-freeze liquid tl contained therein at the desired cold freezing temperature. This anti-freeze 'liquid may be any suitable liquid which will not freeze solid at the temperatures used. such. as brine of a' suitable vconcentration or various anti-freeze liquids now commonly used in automobile radiators. However it is preferred to use mercury as the liquidfll since mercury is-a liquid metal and V an excellent heat conductor `and hence will greatly increase the rapidityfof freezing of the conv j tents ofthe ice pockets l2. vAliso mercury is nonmiscible with water and hence any water which condenses and freezes thereupon can be readily removed by removing the ice thus formed on the surface of the mercury. 'I'he intermittent operai tion of the container belt 3l will maintain the mercury 38 substantially clear of such frozen water of condensation as follows: asubstantial portion of such ice will stick to the outer sides 'ofthe ice pockets I2 and will be removed' from [the pan 3l as thel exibl'e beit 30 moves over the driving roller Il, whereupon it vvirili break free from'the flexible walls of pockets #Zand fall clear l of the pan 3l. It will be noted that the formation of such condensed ice upon the liquid il will be greatly decreased by the substantial prevention of thecirculation'of air through the air space over this liquid- This air space is substantially closed in by the `container belt 3l and the upstanding side walls 39 of' pan II which are formed upwardly and outwardly (as shown in Fig. 5) and lie closely adjacent the outer edges of the fianges/lifof the belt 30 when it is in either itsraised or sagged position (as shown in Fig. 1) *l 'I'he fieible containerv belt III is preferably made .of soft iiexible rubber and maybe integrally molded in, a single straight length and then the endless belt disclosed in l'ig. 1. The two ends of the belt may. be joined together in any suitable Y manner at the' joint between two transverse rows projections on the two ends of the molded belt having aligned holes therdn Aand then a small metal pin through said aligned holes exthe belt, whereby the. tension strength of said f 5 flange portions Il is greatly increased without materially reducing the flexibility thereof. The holes 34 in these ilanges 3| for the sprocket teeth Il are preferably molded therein, but if desired they may be cut therein after the belt is molded 10 to the form shown. The ice pockets l2 are molded in transverse rows III which are connected together at their top portions by the transverse flexible 'rubber webs 4I. Each row 40 is divided into the separate pockets t! by their;v

partitions I2. The bottom portions of the pockets 32 Ataper inwardly sumciently so that when the belt passes around the rollers Il and 2l suitable clearance will be provided for these pockets 32 when they close in'toward each other. as 20 1 clearly shown in Fig. 1. The container belt Il will-thus bend very easily around rollers il and Y 2li since the pockets 32 themselves are not distorted by such bending. The tension strength of the belt lies in the substantially non-extensible 25 flanges Il and the belt is driven by the' entailement of these flanges with the sprocket teeth 24 of driving roller I5. The drum portion 4I of roller I5 is preferably provided with rounded projections 4t so arrang When the pockets I! .pass around roller Il and as to iiexup- Si) 4 wardly the bottom of each pocket I2 as it passes around the roller I i and thus aid in loosening and ejecting the frozen ice cube therefrom.

-are thereby turned upside down the ice cubes 36 will fall therefrom into the ice storage container ,41 or any other suitable receptacle. This action will be aided'by'a sagging of the lower pass of belt I0 (not shown) .which sagging will tend to slightly expand the pockets Hand so facilitate the dropi0 ping of the ice cubes therefrom if they have notdropped out prior to reaching that point.

When rolleril is rotated by the hand crank Il the upper pass Il of belt Il is put under tension and is partially or entirely lifted from `th`e pari 35 and the liquid I8 contained therein. 'I'hls permitsthe liquid Il to drain oi! the pockets I2 and reduces the possibility of any. anti-freeze liquid being dragged or carried over the roller4 il` with the belt. As soonas a few or'all ofthe ice'50 cubes have been removed from the belt. as de. scribed above,'the miler 'Il is preferably reversed a partial revolution to positively cause upper passjl ofthe belt to resume its withinfthe freezing pan Il.

An automatic device is shown 4for providing lsuch reversal of roller il (see Pigs; 2 and 4). A, flat-coil spring Il has one'end thereof iixed' to shaft by screw Il and'its other-.end l2 prc, y jecting outwardly andconstitutinga friction pawl which rides over'a surrounding internal stationary ratchet It whose teethso engage the pawl #as to maintain the coilspring Il wound up tlrthe desired tensionl during the time roller- Il is beingrotated by crank' Il in the dii'ecti0n`65 shown `by the arrow in Pig. 2. Nowfas soon as the crank la is released ins cau sonas uwm unwind, the -pawl I2 being then held stationary by friction upon the ratchet lL/and hence fthe;-

sharc It win be turned backwards a parua170 .arevolutionto cause-thebelt Iltomindrop down upon its support pan 3l. During this reverse movement of aportion of the belt Il the rear roller!! is kept' from revesingby any .1 m r .lu such w' Ism is shown in Fig. 3. The ratchet wheel 55 'is fixed to the projecting end of shaft 2| (see Fig. 5). A stationary spring pawl 56 is xed to a lug or other support on the metal wall il by the screw 51. Thus roller 2li is permitted to rotate only in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. '3 and hence this will cause all the slack in the belt 3l tobe givento the upper pass 33 thereof'when the front roller l5 is reversed.

Each transverse row lll 'of pockets I2 is'llled` v through the pipe 8| from the cold water tank Bil mounted above the belt and preferably so located with one side thereof adjacent the cooling'unit that the cold water will be supplied therefrom to the container belt at a temperature near its freezing point. The water enters each pocket through the graduated holes 82 and will level itself in all thepockets of a transverse row 40 l through the holes in the partitions 42 l(see Fig. 5). Pipe 6l has a valve 65V suitablydocated Y therein for controlling the supply of cold water to the ice pockets 32. Y

This water supply valve v65 may be hand operated if desired, but preferably it is automatically controlled bv the movement of the belt 30 in such manner that the pockets 32 willbe properly filled with water as they pass the exit holes 624 in pipe 6l. Such an automatic device is illustrated in the drawings (see Fig. 4). The driving shaft I6 has a small drum 66 rotatably mounted thereupon between two friction collars 61 which rotate with shaft ls. The crank handle le is pressed against the outer friction collar 61 by the washer 68 and screw 69; By simplyadjust- 3B ing screw 69 there can be obtained the desired amount of friction upon drum 86 to cause it to'A move with shaft IB until itsnrotion'is arrested by tension ofthe wire belt 1m -which extends around drum 66 one or more turns and is pref- .40 erably fixed thereto at the centralpoint of its contacting length. Asimilar wire belt drum 15 is fixed to the valve stem 16 of valve 65 for opening and closing valve 65. Wire-belt 10 extends one or more turns around drum. "and may be xed thereto at the center of these turns' toprevent its possible slipping on the drum 1I. Itis thus seen that rotation of d rum 66 will open i or close the water supply valve 65 depending upon its. direction of rotation. When roller 'Ibis ro- 50 tatedin the direction shown by the arrow in Fig.

l to move the container belt- 3Qn thereover, its

rst. motion will open valve 65 bymeans of the wire belt 10, and itscontinued motion will simply cause drum 66 to slip frictionally upon the fric'- 55 tion collars 61. However immediately'upon the releasev of crank I8 and the reversal of rotation of roller Il (as described in detail above) the drum 66 will be rotated in its other direction and immediately close the water supply valve 6 5. Thisit is seen that by the time the slack in the upper pass of belt 30 is taken up by rotation of roller I5 the valve 65 will have been opened and water will be owing freely through the exit holes'62 to ll the pockets 32 as they'begin F`lto move past this point. This time element for takinglup' the slack in belt30 is of importance since some time is required for the water to now to the exit holes 62 from the valve which must .be positioned far enough away '.rpnr the 70 freezing compartment I3 to prevent f1 .ezing of After valve 65 is closed the water in pipe 6I. the watr in the lower end of pipe 6i will drain out, a suitable vent being provided for this purpose,` and hence there will be no water in 25' Vthe lower -endof pipe el toxfreeze clog the pipe.- Preferably the pipe 6I is made of hard rubber or other poor heat-conducting material so that coldV (so to speak) 'will not be conducted up the pipe and cause the valve-65 to freeze up;

, Valve 65 should be ldcated-at a point inthe re- 5 frigerator where air well above freezing point circulates freely therearound at all times. Since valve 65y is actuated by aflexible wire cable 1B it will be a' simple matter to locate valve 65 at the most desirable location andlead the'gwireio beit 10 thereto by small'guide pulleys. It is to be understood that'the automatic mechanism .v

' shown in the drawings for actuating valve'i is" more or less diagrammatic.

While the form of embodiment of the present 15 invention as'hereindiscl'osed. constitutes a pre'- ferred form; it is to be'understoodthat other forms might be adapted, all coming'within the scope of the claims which follow-. What'isl claimed is as follows; l. In a refrigerator having a freezing chamber, a freezing device, comprising: two rotatable rollers, a flexible container belt mounted upon said rollers so as to pass through said freezing, chamber, said container belt having a series /of ice 25' pockets connected together .adjacent their upper portions and having their bottom portions spaced from each other in a direction longitudinally of said container belt, whereby the passing of said .c belt around said rotatable rollers is facilitated. 30 2. In a refrigerator having a freezing chamber, a freezing device, comprising: two rotatable rollers, a liiexible container belt mounted upon said rollers and arranged .to be movable throughsaid freezing chamber, said container belt having a 35 series of transversely extending rows of ice pockv ets, said rows being connected together adjacent "their upper portions andhaving their lower por i tions spacedfrom yeach other in a longitudinal direction, whereby the lower portions of saidw transverse rows of pockets may move closer to1 gether when* said container belt passes around said rollers.

3. In a refrigerator having afreezing .champ v ber, a freezing device, comprising: two rotatable 45 rollers, a nexible container belt mounted upon l said rollers and-arranged to be movable through `flexible container belt ice pockets therein 60' and mounted upon said rollers in such manner that the upper pass of said beltvnormally sags downwardly until the bottoms of the ice pockets thereon are immersed in the refrigerated liquid in said ptn. said belt drivinsly engaging 'one 01,65

saidV rollers, means for intermittently rotating.. the driving roller whereby saidcontainer belt is moved around said rollers, and frneans forre: i

-versing said driving roller upon'cessation of the driving operation to restore then'ormal sag of the 70' upper pass of said belt. f

5. Ina refrigerator, in combination, a ireezing chamber having a refrigeratedsupport therein comprising an open pan containing an antifreezing uquid, s drlvins :one: mennted adjacent :s

Y thereover, said rdriving roller being so positioned irelative to said pan\support that said container belt is partially lifted from said pan support by tension thereupon upon the operation of said driving roller, and means for reversing said driving roller upon cessation of the driving operation to restore the normal sag to the upper pass of said belt.

6. In a refrige ber, a freezingdevice, comprising: two rotatable rollers, a flexible container belt mounted upon said rollers and arranged toA be movable through said freezing chamber, said container belt having a series of transversely extending rows of ice pockets, said rows being connected together from when in water-retaining position and secured thereto, and means for rotating said rol portion drivingly engaging a flange on said roller,

adjacent their upperportions and having their lower portions spaced fromeach other in a. longitudina'l direction whereby the lower portions of p said transverse rowsv of -pocketsmay move closer together when said container belt passes .around said rollers, a single supply duct extending transrversely of -said belt for 'filling-each transverse row of pockets as it passes thereunder, a control valve in said duct, and means associated with one of saidl rollers for actuating said* control valve. o.

7. In a refrigerator having afreezing zone, a

freezingwievice, comprising: a rotatable'means, a container belt Y drivingly engaging said means and arranged -to be movable through -saidrfremezing zone, said container belt comprising an upper .flexible tension portion and'aseries of longif' tudinally spaced ice pockets depending theretatable meansto move said container belt Vthrough said zone. iis In a refrigerator having a freezing zone, a freezing device, comprising: a flanged rotatable roller, a.' container belt mountedupon said roller and arranged -to be movable through said freez.

ingzone, said container belt comprising a flexible tension` portin'and a series of ice pockets de-d sition and secured thereto, said flexible tension and means for rotating said roher to'cause same to ldrive said wntainer beit ,througnus' engagement, .with said flexible tension portion thereof. ,9. In a refrigeraton'ln combination, a freeze ing zone having'therein an open pancontaining 'an anti-freezing refrigerated liquid. arotatable' roher mounted adjacent eachend of said open pan', a flexible. container belt' having depending ice pockets and mounted upon said rollers in such manner that the upper pass of said belt normally PQ@ sags downwardly'until the bottoms of the ice pockets depending therefrom contact the refrigerated liquid in said pan, said beltdriving'ly en ga'ging oneof said rollers, andmeans for interv mittently rotating` the driving roller whereby said container belt is 'moved around said rollers.

'tor having a .freezing chami i :10. In a refrigerator, in combination, a freezing zone having a refrigerated support therein com .freezing liquid, a driving roller mounted adjacent one end `of said support, a second roher mounted i adjacent the opposite end thereof, a flexible container belt comprising depending ice pockets and mounted ppon said rollers 'and having its upper pass normally' sagging downwardly by gravity until said depending ice pockets contact 1 lsaid anti-freezing liquid during freezing of the contents thereof, means for rotating said driving rollerto move said belt. said driving roller being so positioned relative tu the surface of saidanti- ,freezing liquidthat said container belt tends to.

be lifted therefrom by tension thereupon upon 1 the operation of said driving roller. r

v l1. In a refrigeratcrhaving a freezing zone, a freezing device comprising: a' stationary refrigerated metal support in said freezing zone, a.

an open pancontaining ,an antirotatable 'roller mounted adjacent said teilig-"20 erated support, a movabietlexible containel having ice pockets therein and drivinglyengaging said roller, said movable container being sup- Dortedso that its upright portion normally sags downwardly tilit tscts said refrigerated support during freezing of its contents while said container is stationary, and means for rotating said 4driving roller to move said container, said driving roller being so positioned relative to said refrigerated support that. its driving action upon 30v said container simultaneouslymoves 4said con: tainer and lifts it froinsaid metal support. l2. In a refrigerator having a freezing chamiber, a freezing device comprising two rotatable rollers, a flexible container belt mounted upon said' rollers so as to pass through saidjreezing.v chamber, said container belt havinga series of .ice4 pockets connected 'together adjacent eir upper portions and having their' bottom po ons spaced from each other in a direction longitudi- 40 nally of said container belt, whereby-the passing 'of said belt around said rotatable rollers is facilimed, a water suppiyuct extending@ s point adjacent said pockets, a control fvalve `in said duct. means' associated with one of said rotatable 45 rollers for opening said valve ,during movement of said belt, and means associatedwith one of said rotatable rollersf'or closing said valve sub- Lstantially concurrently ber, a inserting device comprising two rotatable "Lith th stopping oi me inovexnentof said belt.- x l Pending thetefrom when in water-retaining po rollersfa flexible container breit mounted upon said rollers-scarto psssthrough said chamber, lsaid container belthaving a series' of 5 ice pockets'connectedtogether adjacent their i upper portions and'hav'lng their bottom portions spaced from each other in a direction'longitudinally of said containerbelt, whereby the passing.

of said belt' around said rotatableollrsls facili-'50o v .tated, a water duct for nlling said ice kets. a control valve in said duct, means ren' dmc enecuv'e by movement of said belt for opening said valve. and means rendered effective by the stopping of the closing valve. s l r n. cnmron.

menaient or said bei: ror 

